SUPERGIRL - Season 4.13

SUPERGIRL – SEASON 4, EP. 13:  “What’s So Funny About Truth, Justice, and the American Way?”

We welcome back the Girl of Steel with an episode where she must have a showdown with Manchester Black and his new group, The Elite.  And she must also deal with a new situation involving Agent Liberty himself, Ben Lockwood.

We begin our episode with a prison guard named Denny being murdered by a British sounding guy.  We then switch over to CatCo, where Kara is handing in yet another article on Lockwood to James.  They talk about it a bit when Alex shows up, looking to go to lunch with Kara, but Nia then shows up, talking about their “meeting” their supposed to attend to, and thus she cancels her lunch date with Alex.  She apologizes, and says it’s okay. Kara takes off with Nia, and they talk about secret ID’s, and how to work with them better…then the elevator opens and Brainy is in a 90’s looking disguise.  Alex then says her life has been hectic since Lena moved into the DEO, for which she apologizes to James (sensitive subject with him).  His reporter who’d been digging into L-Corp finances a few episodes back comes to him, saying that her lead is solid, and she wants to pursue the story. 

We go to the Fortress of Solitude where Supergirl shows Nia and Brainy around.  Kara then tells her robot keeper Krellex to make sure they get everything they need, as they begin training.  Kara takes off.

At the prison, J’Onn is trying to once again get through to Manchester Black, but he is attacked by the man who killed the prison guard.  Black says he’s going to go after everyone that’s destroying aliens.  He and his cohorts then begin to break out and escape.  It’s here they meet up with Supergirl, but she is attacked from behind, and taken down, as Manchester Black and his Elite escape.

Back at the Fortress, Nia and Brainy are training, and Brainy talks about how he was trained by his friend Val.  Nia asks more about her future decendents, but Brainy refuses, because he fears of shattering the space-time continuum.  At that point, Supergirl and J’Onn arrive, trying to track Manchester Black.  Then, Black has a video message for everyone, saying that they’re going to start killing everyone that’s against the aliens.  But Supergirl and J’Onn can’t locate them.  But they go to work.

At the DEO, Haley and Alex talk about Lena and trying to get after Manchester Black.  Alex agrees to help out Lena and get her what she needs.  She then talks to Lena, and finds out that her research can give people powers.  She says they need to upgrade Lena’s security status, and protect her reports, for which Lena replies there will be no reports.  Alex says she took a government contract, and Lena responds that she doesn’t trust governments.  Alex says SHE is the government, and Lena replies that she hopes she isn’t.

Lockwood is in DC, when one of his followers meets him at a bar.  They talk about how it’s getting a tougher to get to recruit more followers, and harder to follow him.  The man tells him that Black broke out, and he’s looking for him.  Lockwood is surprised when he finds out.  He gets an idea as they leave.  He’s off to meet the President.

Black sends out another message, challenging Supergirl, calling her antiquated, and that this is now the time of The Elite.  They send a hidden message that only Supergirl can see.  They want her one on one.  She agrees to go it alone.  J’Onn is not sure.

Lockwood meets with the President, and wants him to deputize the Sons of Liberty, but the President says he’s got it under control, and all Lockwood needs to do is smile for the camera.

Kara and J’Onn talk, and she asks if he’s looking to get back into the battle.  J’Onn says he’s tried to follow his father’s path, and use peaceful means, but Black baited him, and he fell for it.  She tells him that his father would understand if he took up the cape again to save the world.  He asks if she needs help, and she says no, she needs to go it alone.  After all…she’s the symbol.  She heads to Manchester, England to meet up with him.

Nia talks to Krellex about her homeworld, and she says Brainy keeps a lot hidden, but for her to get better at being a hero, she needs to know what she can do.  So, Krellex shows her.

Supergirl meets up with Black in England, and it’s a conversation…with all his friends.  He pretty much lays out the deal:  She can take care of all the robbers, thieves, and anyone else---but all the Sons of Liberty and Lockwood is the Elite’s.  If she gets in the way, things will get ugly.  She says she will stop him from killing people.  They take off, but before they do—he tells her about the satellite the US plans to launch that will shoot down any alien aircraft looking to enter Earth space.  She then flies to the White House to have a chat with the President.

Supergirl meets with the President, but it doesn’t go well.  She tries to appeal to him to NOT launch the satellite, but he won’t budge.  She takes off, and he makes a call, upping the launch to the next night, and to put extra security around Devil’s Tower.  Unknown to the both of them, the alien from the Elite was there the whole time, invisible, listening to everything.

Returning to the Fortress, we see Nia trying to work on using her powers, but she can’t astral project, and it backfires.  Brainy scolds her for going behind his back, but she says she’s not patient, and she wants to learn immediately.  Brainy tries to reassure her that things will come with time.

Supergirl arrives at Alex’s to try to appeal to her to help her out, throw her weight around.  Alex sees that the Girl of Steel is struggling with this issue, and sees that she feels stuck, because no matter what she does, she’ll be looked upon with a critical eye.  Alex says that Supergirl must do what she has to.  Alex says she can’t help Supergirl, and the Girl of Steel understands, and takes off.

We see Lockwood on the phone, talking to the voicemail to his family.  He appears distraught with all the news about The Elite, and being turned down by The President.

Back at the Elite’s hangout, the alien returns, and informs them that they moved up the launch date.  They know that Supergirl went to the President, but it was all for naught.  They plan their attack that night.

At Devil’s Tower, The Elite arrive, and so does Supergirl, and the battle begins.  It’s a back and forth affair, with neither side getting the upper hand.  Alex arrives to lend a hand, and Supergirl goes after the satellite.  The battle continues, and the Morai alien puts the launch in sequence.  Black then has Alex hostage, and the satellite is launched, headed right towards the White House…which was Black’s plan all along.  Alex tosses Supergirl her armor, and off she goes to save the President.  J’Onn manages to capture Black, and beats him up.  Black taunts J’Onn, and tells him THAT is the J’Onn he was looking for.  J’Onn says that Black has a death wish.  Just as he’s about to take him out, Black vanishes.  Meanwhile, Supergirl has reached the satellite, and manages to stop it from firing at the White House by altering the shot to hit the water by the Washington Monument.  The day is saved, but the Elite is gone.

Nia and Brainy are at the base, and Brainy is upset that he lost his Leigon flight ring.  She assures him that they will get it back.  Supergirl and Alex chat, and they say that, though unofficially they can’t work together, they can work in secret.  Supergirl likes that.  Off she goes to see The President.

She meets with The President, and he’s upset she destroyed the satellite, and wanted her to admit that she liked it.  She says she saved him and countless lives.  She said there was no alternative.  They are still at odds.

Alex meets with Haley at the DEO, and is upset that she wasn’t informed about the satellite.  Haley says she didn’t know about it, and the President violated protocol.  Alex then heads to Lena’s lab, and turns off the security cameras.  Alex says she doesn’t trust her government, and Lena replies that she thought Alex WAS the government, but Alex says no.  And then Alex says that anything Lena needs, she’ll have.

At the White House, Lockwood returns, and the President appoints him the new Head of Alien Affairs.  Then, returning to CatCo, we see Kara hand in the story to James about the Lockwood appointment.  She feels frustrated, and he gets it.  She says she’s off to write another story, and James tells her to hurry it up, and she jokes she’ll use super speed (which she probably does anyway).  James then calls in McKenzie (the reporter who’d been investigating the L-Corp finances), and asks her if her source would be willing to go on the record about what he’d learned.  He’s going to expose Lena’s work.

At a warehouse, the one man who met up with Lockwood at the bar, is with his fellow Sons of Liberty when Lockwood arrives.  The man feels that Lockwood isn’t strong enough to be a leader, for which Lockwood takes his mask that was on a nearby table, and beats the man mocking him with it.  After beating the man to death, he asks if the other Sons have any issues with him.  Their silence tells him that he has their attention.  He says it’s time to go to work. 

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Well, well, well...the return of the Maid of Might was a good one!  We got A LOT out of this episode, and it was a good one!  

First of all....the Elite and Manchester Black are some badass villains for Supergirl.  I know they're primarily Superman villains, but we can see that the crossover for both Kara and Clark will continue, so why not?  Black feels he's in the right, but is willing to go to the extremes in order to serve his cause.  The others are there for their own self preservation.  It ties in with the storyline this year:  how far are you willing to go to get your message and cause across?  We're seeing that from a variety of sides in this season, and they're doing a pretty decent job at presenting all sides of the alien issue.  But Black is great at recruiting, and these are powerful people that will continue to plague our hero the rest of the season.

The President is one double dealing S.O.B., lemme tell ya.  This is the epitome of a politician...playing all sides for his own benefit.  He's looking at all the angles, and looking for a way to make himself look real good to the public.  Putting that satellite into play to destroy ANY incoming aliens BEFORE they get to Earth...dastardly.  But, much like Manchester Black...he feels HE is in the right, and feels justified going behind even Haley's back to get what he needs.  Then, on top of that, hiring Lockwood to his cabinet---oh, that's trouble that the US DOESN'T need...now there's a powderkeg ready to blow.  Business is about to pick up.  Especially with Lockwood in a position of higher power, and a grander stage, to manipulate the masses.

I liked how our hero was able to assert herself this episode, and it felt more like she was the Supergirl we'd been waiting for.  Sure...she's still dealing with the yin and yang of this issue, but for her to take action when needed, and stand her ground against the President...THIS is the Supergirl I want!  The one that chooses LIFE over anything else.  She admits that SHE is a symbol---one that Black kept pointing out...and saying how antiquated her idealism is (reminiscent of how he portrays Superman in the comics).  But I hope this is how they round her out to be the hero we've been hoping she'd become.  Especially now with her cousin off world on Argo, watching over Lois, and making sure their kid is born okay.  

I think J'Onn will realize that he can't sit out the war on the sidelines anymore.  It was good to finally see him involved.  Nia and Brainy are still cute together, but I like how Nia is coming along.  She's still curious about the future where Brainy comes from, so it will be a fascinating story to see play out.  Eventually, I feel she'll learn more than she's bargained for.

Okay...who here got a chuckle when Kara called her team the "Super Friends"....give it up!  

I am enjoying the new intrigue in regards to Lena's government contract, looking to work WITH them....to an extent.  And having Alex's support...especially in light of how the President conducted his business.  I wonder where THAT is gonna go.  And on the OTHER side of things, James now wanting to MEET with his reporter McKenzie's source about the L-Corp finances.  I wonder now that in light of what Lena's research is about, that he'll expose her, and cause even a further rift between them, and possibly get Lena to go FULL Luthor.  Mind you...we KNOW Lex is going to appear at SOME point---and I'm just wondering if brother deal will be in her head.  This is getting good.  Also...I like the character of McKenzie---she's got reporting smarts, and it gives the staff of CatCo someone else besides Nia and Kara doing any reporting.

Now...is it just ME....or would this season benefit MORE from a Cat Grant appearance?  We are LOOONG overdue for one.  Especially in times where Kara is in crisis with an issue, Cat has been a great counterbalance, giving her guidance.  Plus, to get her to interact with the President, or give some empassioned speech to the masses to get them together...we really need some Cat Grant.  Plus---I'd find it funny as hell when she finds out that Lois and Clark are expecting child---I want to see her reactions.  

Alright, guys, that does it for this week.  As usual, I emplore you to subscribe, and pass the good word along, as well as comment...would love to hear your thoughts and ideas about the show.  I'll have some info about another way you can find this blog tomorrow, so stick around for that!

Until next week....Up, up, and away!